Louis Chenevert Has Played His Role In Innovation

It’s not an easy thing to be eternally optimistic. Being an entrepreneur requires a relentless passion for success and a formula for consistency. The former chairman and chief executive officer of United Technologies Corporation, Louis Chenevert, knows how to get the right people together to accomplish nearly anything. After 14 years at General Motors and 7 years at Pratt & Whitney, he was prepared for the challenge at UTC. During his time there, he came to understand that to exceed expectations and thrive, the focus must be on operational talent and engineering. Early in his career, he had learned how to solve problems through the support of the employees who knew the operations best. To be involved at the ground level of development was a very important aspect of his career.

One of the things that Louis Chenevert did was to surround himself with positive people who had good ideas. With no patience for internal politics, he spent most of his time forging forward with the newest innovative ideas he could find. He knew that key executives needed to have the tools and resources available to them to accomplish their goals. He also knew that assembling the right team and removing roadblocks that could hinder their progress was a very important role that he needed to play. He was constantly aware of the fact that the right people working together can create game-changing innovations and advance technology further than imagined.

One of the accomplishments of UTC was the development of the GTF engine which was more fuel efficient and contained fewer parts. Another was developing X2 technology at Sikorsky that enabled helicopters to travel at twice the old speed. They developed the F135 engine which changed military propulsion forever. The acquisition of Goodrich Aerospace, an $18 billion company would alter the history of UTC indefinitely. All of these things happened under his supervision and guidance.